PSL 12 Direct Signings Open as January 23 Auction Confirmed

“All eight PSL franchises can now make one direct marquee signing before the November 23 deadline, while the player auction will take place on January 23, 2027.”

— Editorial Team

Key points

All eight PSL franchises can now make one direct marquee signing before the November 23 deadline, while the player auction will take place on January 23, 2027.
PSL 12 is scheduled for March 18 to May 2, featuring 44 matches across five or six venues.

Sports|By Editorial Team|Published 23-Oct-26|Latest update 10/23/2026, 9:09:44 AM|2 min read

The Pakistan Cricket Board has opened the direct-signing window for all eight Pakistan Super League franchises and confirmed January 23, 2027, as the date for the PSL 12 player auction. The announcement begins the player-movement process for a tournament scheduled to run from March 18 to May 2 next year.

Each franchise may directly recruit one marquee player who did not participate in either PSL 10 or PSL 11. Teams have until November 23 to complete these signings, giving them one month to secure a prominent player before the remaining squad-building stages.

The board’s official roadmap confirms that PSL 12 will comprise 44 matches—40 league fixtures and four playoffs—played over 46 days. The primary announcement is available at https://www.pcb.com.pk/press-release-detail/hbl-psl-12-road-map-confirmed-direct-signings-open-player-auction-set-for-23-january.html.

Matches are planned across five or six venues, which would be the widest geographical footprint in the league’s history. The specific host cities and complete fixture schedule have not yet been announced, meaning supporters outside the established centres must wait for confirmation that their cities will stage games.

Franchises will attend a workshop during the week beginning October 26. That meeting is expected to settle the retention deadline, pre-auction trading window, auction regulations and playing conditions—details that will determine how teams can preserve existing squads and acquire additional players.

The National T20 Gold and National T20 Silver competitions have also been placed within the PSL pre-season calendar. The two domestic tournaments are intended to serve as the main talent-identification route, giving strong performers an opportunity to attract franchise attention before the auction and potentially advance towards national selection.

The coming season will retain the eight-team structure introduced in 2026, when Hyderabad Kingsmen and Rawalpindiz joined the competition. Peshawar Zalmi won that expanded edition by defeating Hyderabad Kingsmen in the final at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium.

The direct-signing deadline and January auction are the next confirmed milestones. Venue assignments, the full match schedule and commercial arrangements remain pending as the franchises begin building their squads for PSL 12.